“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” - Philippians 4:13

Monday, September 04, 2006

Why Pro Life? Part III

In this post, I have asked my mom to share her story about her first pregnancy and why she chose life for her child instead of an abortion.Where There's Life, There's Hope

"You're not only pregnant, you're about 3 months along," the county health nurse told me as I sat in the exam room, not fully comprehending what she told me. I was 19-years-old, in a job that barely paid enough to live on, and I had just broken up with my boyfriend. These things were only compounded by the fact that I had insulin-dependent diabetes and an eating disorder that I had struggled with for years. This was my second pregnancy test in the last 3 months. I had taken one that showed negative at the same clinic just about 3 months earlier, but had missed my cycles all those months. Something had definitely changed in my life since then and I knew in my heart God had His Hand in the midst of all those details.

Before I had taken the negative pregnancy test 3 months earlier, my boyfriend and I discussed what we should do if it turned up positive and he suggested that we should go to the city and have an abortion. My heart sank then, and I just felt that he didn't love me enough to marry me and raise a child together. I agreed, very sadly, though I had never formed an opinion on abortion before. Of course a pregnancy meant a baby, but the actual implications of "aborting" a pregnancy never entered my mind as being equal to "killing a baby."

My boyfriend and I were invited to attend a small rural church with one of his co-workers. When Sunday came, he was unable to attend and encouraged me to go. When I got there I was greeted by silver-haired men and women who genuinely took an interest in me and the following Sunday I brought my boyfriend with me. There, we learned the Bible, struggled with our sin and met with the pastor who began teaching us the Bible. I wanted to be married and raise a family, but my boyfriend was not ready yet. So, during those 3 months our relationship became more and more strained, we broke up and eventually I moved out and got my own small apartment. My pastor encouraged me to place my faith in Jesus Christ and that God would care for my needs, like a husband. I cried out to God and knew that I needed Him to help me in every aspect of my life. I started trusting Him the day my boyfriend and I broke up. Little did I know the times of trusting God were just beginning.